What's the Best Way to Track Raw Material Lead Times From Suppliers?
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What's the Best Way to Track Raw Material Lead Times From Suppliers?
The best way is to record actual delivery time on every purchase order, letting a dashboard calculate average lead time per supplier automatically instead of relying on quoted estimates. On Jestor, this runs through purchase order data with connected delivery timestamps.
Relying only on a supplier's quoted lead time, without tracking what actually happens, means reorder timing is based on an estimate that may not reflect real, current delivery performance.
What untracked lead time costs
- Reorder timing based on quoted estimates that may not reflect reality
- No visibility into whether a supplier's actual delivery is getting slower over time
- Risk of a stockout from underestimating how long a supplier genuinely takes
- Difficulty comparing suppliers objectively on delivery reliability
How tracking actual lead time works
- Order date and actual delivery date connect on every purchase order record
- A dashboard calculates average lead time per supplier automatically
- Trends reveal whether a supplier's delivery performance is changing over time
- This actual data can directly inform when to place the next reorder
Why Jestor fits this use case
- Actual delivery data replaces reliance on potentially outdated quoted estimates
- Trend visibility catches a slipping supplier before it causes a stockout
- Objective comparison across suppliers supports better sourcing decisions
- This scales from a handful of suppliers to a large, diverse supplier base
| Quoted lead time estimate | Tracked actual lead time |
|---|---|
| May not reflect real performance | Calculated from actual delivery data |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I compare lead time across different suppliers for the same item? Yes, through a dashboard aggregating by supplier. More at jestor.com.
Does this update automatically as new orders are delivered? Yes, average lead time recalculates continuously with new data.
Can this data inform when reorder points should be adjusted? Yes, actual lead time is a natural input for setting accurate reorder timing.
With Jestor, you can automate workflows, connect teams, and build internal systems your way, all without code and powered by AI. Discover Jestor at jestor.com and see how to take your company's operations to a new level of efficiency and control.